Lecture #1: The Opening Of Korea and the Growing Forces of Enlightenment Flashcards
1
Q
What is the tributary system?
A
- employed by most of East Asian (premodern)
- Sinocentric (China/then Qing Empire)
- tribute states do trade (pay tribute) to Chinese emperor
- diplomacy in the form of envoys to Beijing (usually for shopping)
- recognized Korea as somewhat equal in civilization
2
Q
What is 사대 (사대주의)?
A
- lit. Serving the Great
- kissing up to the more powerful (US, China)
- believed that ancient China, Chinese classics, was actually great
3
Q
What did Qing Empire tell Western powers about Korea (and other tribute states)?
A
- Korea is autonomous from China but still dependent on China
- Korea cannot open themselves up to trade (China wants to rule that)
4
Q
What is Joseon’s relationship with Confucianism and Buddhism?
A
- Korea was a Buddhist and shamanistic country
- Joseon came about to overthrow Buddhism (goal: to be Confucian)
- took 200-300 years for Koreans to accept Confucianism
- very short period of being Confucian
5
Q
What was China’s view of Korea?
A
- never invaded Korea except during Han dynasty
- did NOT see Korea as a threat
- very peaceful
6
Q
What is 교린?
A
- “neighborly relations”
- Japanese did not come to Korea; Koreans went to Japan (envoys/통신사)
- Koreans didn’t really trust Japanese to come
(But ~100 in Busan; then Tsushima Island in between Japan and Korea) - Korea replaced China to get civilization bc Japan couldn’t get to China
- Korea saw Japanese like pirates
7
Q
What is 통신사?
A
Korean envoys to Japan, usually bringing civilization/culture in the form of books and ideas.
8
Q
What is Tsushima Island and it’s significance?
A
- intermediary between Japan and Korea
- how Korea and Japan maintained “neighborly relations” and knowledge about one another
9
Q
Who are the daimyo?
A
- Japanese feudal lords of Meiji Japan
- were a huge part of Korean-Japanese 교린 through Tsushima Island
10
Q
Why is the notion of hermit kingdom for Korea problematic?
A
- Asia was the center of the world back then, Korea was the way in
- Koreans already had relationships and knowledge of the “outside world”
- Korea as “little China” (소중화)
11
Q
What is 서학?
A
- Western learning through books
(Ex: Catholicism through books written by French Jesuits, most likely in China) - 시학 practical learning
12
Q
What were Korea’s feelings toward Qing and Western learning? What does it lead to?
A
- did not necessarily accept them but had to because tributary system
- discouraged from learning about the West leads to the isolation policy
(Ex: old Catholicism doesn’t allow ancestral rites/worship so new Catholics are seen as heretics)
13
Q
What was Korea’s isolation policy?
A
- 18th century to mid 19th century
- actively tried to keep all the Western countries out
- did not allow westerners to stay
- happened because of the opium wars in China
14
Q
Why did Korea have such long dynasties?
A
- Koreans were part of the East Asian world order
- China and Japan did not really feel the need to invade (they just traded, even if there were a few wars)
- some historians say that the invasions allowed the system to reset
- high degree of central administration (well organized court, system of ministers, detailed record keeping, exams)
15
Q
What is Korean factionalism?
A
- described as one of the weak points that led to Joseon’s collapse
- strong personalities with similar roots and origins but they don’t like one another so they break off again and again even while maintaining similar positions
- competing against each other for power (then go to countryside after loss and set up Confucian academies)
- usually fights over rituals
16
Q
What is remonstration in premodern Korea?
A
- King has absolute power and can put you to death; also a scholar
- debates in court and whomever loses gets a severance package (land given that’s tax free)
- so less and less revenue (given to Buddhists)
17
Q
Who is Yi Seong-gye?
A
- founder of Joseon; overthrew Goryeo
- wanted to get rid of Buddhism
- established Confucianism in Joseon
- took back all the land and gave to his followers to bring back revenue to Korean court/gov’t
